Speak Your Roots

Tag: talklocal

  • Behdieñkhlam

    Ki dur Behdieñkhlam wa da phah da u @duwaki9 😄🌾🌿🌲 Khublei Chiboon for sending these pictures! 🙏🙏

    Dur 1 bad 2: Ka lehniam “Ka Siang Thakur” ba ju pynlong ha ka step shuwa ban mih ka sngi jong ka sngi Khatduh (Muchai) ka lehniam Behdieñkhlam. Ïa kane ka lehniam la pynlong ha Ïung Blai jong ka Kur Rangad Neiñ ha Chilliangraij, Jowai.

    Slide 1 and 2: The ritual of "Ka Siang Thakur" which is performed on the morning of the last day "Muchai" of Behdieñkhlam before sunrise. The ritual in the pictures was performed in the "Ïung Blai" of the Rangad Neiñ clan in Chilliangraij, Jowai.

    Dur 4 haduh 10: Ka "Choh Thyndai" lane ka "Sympat Ïung" ba shim bynta da ki khun ki ksiew ka Beipun Bon ba ju tip kum ki Khon Raij.

    Slide 4 to Slide 10: The ritual of "Choh Thyndai" or "Sympat Ïung" participated in by the children and grandchildren of "Ka Beipun Bon" known as "Ki Khon Raij".

    Photo credit: @duwaki9. @duwaki9

  • Encouraging the creation of Khasi hashtags!

    Kum shi bynta ban pynroi ïa ka ktien Khasi, ka Speak Your Roots ka kyntu ban pyndonkam da ki hashtag Khasi!

    To ngin ïa pyrkhat bad pynmih da ki hashtag kiba don jingmut ki ban ïalam sha ka pynneh bad pynroi ïa ka ktien Khasi.

    In an effort to help with the growth of the Khasi language, Speak Your Roots encourages the creation of Khasi hashtags!

    Let's come up with good and interesting hashtags that relate to preserving and growing the Khasi language.

    Kum ban shu ai nuksa:

    #habaimkaktienimkajaitbynriew

    #kaktienbatam

    #kynmawlatynrai

    #ktienkhasi

    #pyrkhatkhasi

    #shetkhasi

    Sa phah ki hashtag jong phi ne lada phi post eiei sa pyndonkam da ki bad tag lem ïa @speakyourroots ! 😃😃

  • Excerpts from the article “Poiphang Ka Thawhi Ban Peiphang” by Raphael Warjri

    Excerpts from the article "Poiphang Ka Thawhi Ban Peiphang" by Raphael Warjri,

    which appeared in u Nongsaiñ Hima on 15th June 2022

    Ki ktien ba thymmai ba la tyrwa ban shna thymmai ki long ki ba la shu thaw hi kat ba lah ban poiphang ha ka pyrkhat shimet bad lada ka long ka ba lah ban peiphang bad sngewthuh da ki paidbah, te ka shong sa tang ha ka bishar sani jong ki stad saiñktien bad ki thohjer thohnam na ki shlem ba kynsai jong ka imlang sahlang.

    La khmihlynti ba kiei kiei baroh kin long ki ba jynsur mynsiem bad ban husiar ban ym synjor, ban long ki ba kdup їa ki ktien mat na ki thaiñ kylleng sawdong bad ban pynneh longpdeng da ka ktien Khasi kaba don ka thymmei-na ka ktien Sohra. La pyrshang ruh ban buh artat bad ka jingmut ha ka ktien phareng khuang ban kham suk ha ka bishar bad tynjuh lada dei ban pdiang ne kyntait lada dei ban dan ai jingmut shuh shuh da kumwei.

    Aijubab ka mut ba ai ka jubab ha ka jingkylli ne kynthoh ha ka ba ai daw/ Response

    Aitishaniah ka mut ba aiti bad ba lah ban shaniah/ Faithful

    Aïomot aïomkheit ka mut ka por ba la ih ki jingthung bad la biang ban ot ne kheit/ Harvest

    Bamet ka mut ba tylli doh ne skhah/ Solid

    Bamteimet dihteimet ka mut ka dawai tei ïa ka met ka phad/Vitamin

    Bambsamet ka mut ka bam ba bsa met osa phad/ Nutrition

    Bankbia ka mut ka ba noh ne shah tynrong na jrong/ Pressure, Burden.

    Basabam basadih ka mut ka sem ba die bam die dih paidbah/Restaurant

    Batsaipan ka mut u nongbat pisa ha saipan/ Treasurer

    Borkhia ka mut ka kynja bor ba hap da ka jingkhia/ Gravity

    Borkhring ka mut ka kynja bor ba khring/ Magnetic

    Borkynsan ka mut ka kynja bor ba ban khia kynsan/ Impact

    Bortipthuh ka mut ka bor ba lah ban mad ne sngew/ Senses

    Buhthup ka mut ba buh thup kyrteng їa ki mar ki mata/Registration

    Buhthiar ka mut ba buh thiar tyngkai dulir/ Archive

    Buikyrteng ka mut ka bui buh kyrteng/ Registration

    Buitsniew ka mut ba buitpoh ban shet kylla/ Mischief

    Kabuhok ka mut ka kabu ba shonghok/ Privilege

    Kambymman ka mut ki kam batriem ba mynsaw/ Crime

    Kamroi ka mut ki kam pynroi ha ka imlang sahlang/ Scheme

    Kamtreilang ka mut ba syllok lang ban trei ryngkat/ Cooperation

    Kher Aihukum ka mut ki kynja riewdon kyrdan ba ïalam na phrang/ Commanding Officer

    Khieim Jyrngam ka mut ka juk ba rasong ka rep ka riang/ Green Revolution

    Khreh ktem ka mut kaba pynap lypa ban ïoh kdong/ Strategy

    Kiew snam hiar snam ka mut ba kiew ne hiar kaba kynshait ka snam na u klongsnam ka bym biang ka jingtuid ka snam lyngba ki thied snam/ Blood Pressure

    Kliarthong ka mut ba kot ban khajoh sha khlieh eh jong kano kano ka kam/ Zenith, Pinnacle

    Klit ka mut ka jingstet ba palat liam ban ther na kawei ka dong sha kawei pat/ Velocity

    Korkemdur korkemsur ka mut television/ Television

    Kotaibor kotibit /Syrnotaibor ka mut ka dulir ba la shah ban pyntreikam/ License

    Kpait-saiñ-kam ka mut kaba pruid dak lynter ban buh ryutih ki kam ba dei ban trei/ Policy

    Krehbiangkam ka mut ba pynїaidkam ryntih/ Management

    Kupar ïawai ka mut ka nusib ba la thoh haduh ba kut ka jingim/ Destiny

    Kyndeh thiedsnam a mut ba tied u thied u jaw na ba їaid ka snam/ Pulse

    Kyndon kdewlynti ka mut ba lam ne pyni lynti kumno ban leh kat kum ki mat ba la buh hukum/ Guidelines

    Kyndongduh ka mut ka thaiñ khappud bajngai palat na ka jaka pdeng/ Hinterland

    "Poiphang Ka Thawhi Ban Peiphang" is an article by award winning Khasi artist @warjri.raphael which was published in U Nongsaiñ Hima (Khasi newspaper) on the 15th of June 2022.

    This is a wonderful article wherein Bah Raphael has attempted to coin new words in Khasi while giving their English equivalents. Khublei Shibun Bah @warjri.raphael for this article! 😀🙏👏

    The coinage of words in a language will help it to grow, thereby sustaining it, adding to expression in speaking and writing. 🗣️✒️😄

  • Long rat

    Ha kawei ka sngi, lah don uwei u phareng uba wan jngohkai ïa kane ka ri Khasi ngi. U leit kylleng ki shnong bad kawei na ki ka dei ka Shella kaba bna nam bha shaphang kata ka "shoh dohkha". Te u lah poi hangta ha ka shnong bad ki don ki briew katto katne kiba khot sngewbha ïa u sha ïing jong ki. Ki bun ki briew kiba nang ban kren phareng tang ban ïapei bad u bad para ma ki pat ki kren da ka ktien shnong lajong. Te u sngap shkor bha haba ki ïa kren para ma ki bad katba ki dang kren u da peit artat sha madan, shapoh khrum shuki ba u shong, shadien bad shakhmat ruh. Kita ki briew ki lah iohi ïa kane ka rukom leh jong u te ki kylli balei ba u i khuslai bad ba u peit lut ïa ka madan ka khrum kumba wad aïu re aïu. Uta u phareng u jubab: "Where the hell is the goddamn long rat that you guys have been talking about??" Phewse "long rat" ki dei ki dei ki kyntien shnong jong ki bad uta u sahep u mut ïa ki ba ki kren phareng de tiak tiak namar u mut ki kren shaphang ka khnai baheh!

    "Long rat" ka mut "ym lei lei" ne "kam pher" ha ka ktien Shella 😄😂 Namar kata ym long rat, kam don ka khnai 😂😂😂🐀🐀

    "Long rat" means "it's okay" or "it's all right" in the Shella dialect. So "long rat" is not a long rat 😂😂🐀🤡

    Khublei Shibun @shillongftw for this joke 😂😅 U Phareng got lost in translation!

  • Dai/ Die

    Ka khana biria ba nga la ïohsngew kham slem..

    Shisien ki shi lok kiba dang shu ïa shong ïa sah ryngkat ki ïa shongkai bad ïakhlei ki ktien ieit, ktien sbai tien rupa bad ynda ki la dep ki ïa leit bamja noh arngut hi. Te katba ki dang ïa bam, u lok u ong "Darling ai dai". Ka lok pat ka la kyndit bad ka ong "No darling please don't die". U lok u ong biang "No no darling, nga ong ai dai from the karai".

    Mynta ka sngi, ka 1 tarik u Naitung ka dei ka International Joke Day 😄😄

    Khublei Shibun @mebatei_l_khongsti ba phi la phah ïa kane ka khana biria birai 😂😂😂Ngi ju poi sha kaba ïa rkhie da lah khleh ka kren ktien English bad Khasi kum kine shilok 😂😂

    Talking in "Khalish" is what many of us do nowadays 🤭😅😬 and this joke is an example of that. The punchline to the joke is also because of the Khalish involved. To translate this would be to take out the humour from it, so we leave it as it is 😄

  • Dih ne nym dih

    Ha kawei ka sngi don uwei u briew na nongkyndong ba leit shim dawai sha sor. Ynda u doktor u la kynduh bad eksamin ïa u, u la batai ba u dei ban dih ynda la dep bam ja miet. Te uta u briew u la lyngngoh lyngaiñ ba kumno un dih da la dep bam ja ïoh um ïoh kali shuh. Katta ruh u sngap jar bad u shong beit hangta ha dukan dawai haba don u doktor. Te u doktor pat u peit lyngngoh ïa u namar ba um leit shuh katno katno ruh. Uta u briew u ong: "Ngan dih noh doktor?" U doktor u ong "Em dih da dep bamja". Phewse u bapli da ka ktien shnong lajong "dih" mut "leit noh". U doktor pat u sngewthuh ba dih mut ban dih noh ka dawai. Hangta ka jingthamula te ka bym nang batai namar u nongkyndong u ïeng ban mih noh u doktor pat u ong em wat pat dih.

    Ka dei na ka ktien shnong aïu ka kyntien "dih"?

    Khublei Shibun @czmylliem ba phi la phah ïa kane 😂😂

  • Pyllon Shroiñ

    Phi lah ïa dep dih sha? 😄☕

    Kine ki dei ki jingbam dih sha kiba ngi ju khot "Pyllon Shroiñ". Lada dih tang ka sha saw bad kine ruh, katno ka dap ka mynsiem 😌😌 Ka jingkhlaiñ jong ka sha saw bad ka jingiwbih, ka jingshroiñ jong ki pyllon shroiñ ki pynkynmaw ïa ki nohphaisngi ksiar bad i Meiieit bad Paieit, katba ngi dang ïa dih sha. 🌦️❤️✨

    Have you had your evening tea? 😄☕

    These are Khasi tea snacks called "Pyllon Shroiñ", round toasts whose name literally translates into "Round Crunchies" 😄😄 What joy it is to eat these round crunchies with a cup of red tea. The strong tea and the flavour and crunch of the toasts reminds me of those golden afternoons with my grandparents as we sipped our tea 🌦️❤️✨

    You can get "Pyllon Shroiñ" or "Round Toast" at @the.ec.restaurant 😄

  • Ah k

    Mano ba kynmaw ïa ka jingrwai "A B K D" jong i Bah Skendrowell Syiemlieh? 😄 Ngi leh sawangka da kane ka jingrwai ha skul mynshuwa.

    Who remembers the "A B K D" song of Bah Skendrowell Syiemlieh? 🎶🎶🆎 We performed a skit with this song in school.

  • U Soh Thri

    Has anyone eaten this fruit? 😄 It is called "Sohthri" in Khasi and its scientific name is "Calamus manillensis" 🍍🥭🍎 "Sohthri" is known to be quite sour but once you get used to it, it's a great summer fruit!

    Khublei Shibun @maggie_arie_nongrum for sending this! 😄🙏

    Slide 1: https://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Calamus_manillensis

    Slide 2 and Slide 3: @maggie_arie_nongrum

  • Kynmaw

    How do I explain the word? "Ka ktien".

    Say it. Out loud. Ka ktien. The first, a short, sharp thrust of air from the back of your throat. The second, a lift of the tongue and a delicate tangle of tip and teeth.

    For I mean not what's bound by paper. Once printed, the word is feeble and carries little power. It wrestles with ink and typography and margins, struggling to be what it was originally. Spoken. Unwritten, unrecorded. Old, they say, as the first fire. Free to roam the mountains, circle the heath, and fall as rain.

    We, who had no letters with which to etch our history, have married our words to music, to mantras, that we repeat until lines grow old and wither and fade away. Until they are forgotten and there is silence.

    How do I explain something untraceable? The perfect weapon for a crime. Light as pine dust. Echoing with alibis. Conjuring out of thin air, the ugly, the beautiful, the terrifying.

    Eventually, like all things, it is unfathomable. So, how do I explain?

    Perhaps it's best, as they did in the old days, to tell a story.

    ……………………….

    I was asked recently, what's your favourite word in Khasi? Usually, I find "favourite" questions very difficult–favourite book, song, movie. So many, I reply helplessly, it's impossible to pick just one. But not this time. It came to me easily, immediately, and while there are many delicious words in Khasi (rympei, the hearth; 'lap praw praw, rain on a tin roof), this one is closest to my heart.

    Kynmaw.

    To remember.

    And not merely because of its rich and resonant meaning, but also because of its etymology. For the longest time, the people of these hills nourished an oral culture–one replete with song and story–and while there were attempts to "give" the languages here a script (using the Bengali alphabet), it was the British missionaries who succeeded. In particular a missionary named Thomas Jones, who travelled to Sohra in 1841, at a time when conversion to Christianity was at its slow beginning. What would help was to disseminate the word of God through the Bible–except how to publish an edition in a scriptless language?

    Today, in Meghalaya, is Thomas Jones Day. And so we remember him. For his diligence and good deeds, of which there were many–how complicated are our colonial histories!–but I choose to remember also how the languages here, at heart, are languages of the wind, the

    mountains, and waterfalls and forests. How they once sprung from land and tongue and remained untethered to page and pen and ink.

    How did we remember? Through song and story, of course, and stone. We computed our histories through stone–choosing to raise monoliths to mark lives and events and relationships. And so even our word for remember-kynmaw–means to "carry like stone". Here, remembering is not taken lightly. It is borne on our backs like stone–unwavering even in the face of (colonial) beliefs that the oral is light and frivolous and inauthentic. The spoken is as much true as the written. When we have no preservatory documents, remembering, to kynmaw, becomes all the more pressing, more important. The spoken does not forget."

    Khublei Shibun @janicepariat for your beautiful and profound thoughts! 🤗❤️🙏

    The era of the spoken word and of Khasi orality is vast, moving in the many sunrises and sunsets of history. This history which is our heritage pleads to be preserved as we move forward.

    As it is the course of things, we were given the Khasi alphabet by Welsh missionary, Rev. Thomas Jones. The Khasi alphabet has brought us to another chapter in Khasi orality, as our stories, teachings and values are transcribed onto paper. Yet as Janice Pariat has asserted, ban kynmaw ka long kaba kongsan, ban kynmaw ka long kaba kumba ngi dei ban long, namar ïa ka ktien la thaw, la shon nyngkong ha ki jylliew ka pyrkhat ka pyrdaiñ; la thaw la shon ïa ka ktien ha ki tyllun u thylliej bad ka shyntur. Kumba ki ong ki longshuwa, ka ktien kaba tam. Ka ktien ka long kaba maïan, ka ktien ka long kaba nylla!

    📸 All photos are from @janicepariat 🙏